Formula One has officially cancelled its races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia because of the ongoing war in the Middle East. The announcement was made by the International Automobile Federation, also known as the FIA.
In a statement, the FIA said the decision was taken after careful evaluation of the security situation in the region. Officials explained that the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which were scheduled for April, will not be held.
The Bahrain race was originally planned as the fourth Grand Prix of the season from April 10 to April 12. The Saudi Arabian race was scheduled just one week later.
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The cancellation comes as the Gulf region faces growing tension and attacks linked to the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel. In the past two weeks, several Iranian drone and missile attacks have targeted areas in the Gulf.
Bahrain, which lies very close to Iran across the Gulf, has been hit by multiple strikes. Reports say some attacks damaged buildings, a refinery and areas near a large United States military base in the country.
Saudi Arabia has also faced several attacks, some aimed at its oil facilities. The country is one of the world’s largest oil exporters, making its infrastructure very important to global energy markets.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said safety was the main reason behind the decision. He explained that protecting drivers, teams, staff, and fans must always come first.
He added that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are very important locations for Formula One, and the organization hopes to return to both countries once the situation becomes stable again.
Formula One drivers have also expressed concern over the conflict. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli said his thoughts were with the people suffering because of the war and that the FIA would take the best decisions to keep everyone safe.
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Despite these changes, the Formula One season will continue with other races. The Japanese Grand Prix will be held from March 27 to March 29, while the next race after that is expected to be the Miami Grand Prix from May 1 to May 3.
The impact of the conflict is also affecting other motorsport events. Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy races planned for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also been cancelled.
Meanwhile, the World Endurance Championship race scheduled in Qatar from March 26 to March 28 has been postponed and will now take place in October.
